Celebrating the 4th! His Story Speaks for Itself!

I fancy myself a writer. Often, however, I concede that I am a mere wanna-be. For when it comes to sharing in words my heart for our nation’s acknowledged anniversary, the 4th of July, I am a poor scribe. Trying to sound eloquent in the company of Jefferson’s, Adam’s, and Hancock’s – just the tip of the iceberg of the most articulate generation produced on these shores – men and women alike – I must defer to primary sources to sing the praises of the day and the author’s original intent:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, – That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness . . .

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions . . . And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Thomas Jefferson

Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776

“It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Patrick Henry

Governor of Virginia

“We recognize no sovereign but God, and no king but Jesus!”

John Hancock and John Adams

“Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years before.”

John Quincy Adams

6th President of the United States

Excerpt from a speech on the 61st anniversary of

The Declaration of Independence, 1837

“Statesmen . . . may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand.”

John Adams, 1776

“Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time’ they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure . . . are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.”

Charles Carroll

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

He who made all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all . . . Our forefathers opened the Bible to all.”

Samuel Adams

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

“The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity . . . I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”

John Adams

Second President

“A Bible and a newspaper in every house, a good school in every district – all studied and appreciated as they merit – are the principal support of virtue, morality, and civil liberty.”

Benjamin Franklin

Statesmen, Inventor, and Scientist

“Contemplating merely the political institutions of the United States, I lament that we waste so much time and money in punishing crimes and take so little pains to prevent them. We profess to be republicans, and yet we neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government; that is the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by means of the Bible; for this divine book, above all others, favors that equality among mankind, that respect for just laws, and all those sober and frugal virtues which constitute the soul of republicanism.”

Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

First Founder to call for free, national, public schools

“The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.”

Patrick Henry

Revolutionary Leader & Orator

“O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust’

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

Francis Scott Key

Final verse of The Star-Spangled Banner

“I now made it my earnest prayer that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in His holy protection’ that He would incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for b rethren who have served in the field; and finally that He would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and paacific temper of Mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.”

George Washington, June 14, 1783

Excerpt from “Circular Letter Addressed to the Governors

of all the States on the Disbanding of the Army”

For more American His Story detailing the uniqueness of our Christian foundations, I recommend:

The American Patriot’s Bible: The Word of God and the Shaping of America

Special Tribute: To a Pink Patriot for Pink Saturday – Meet Betsy Ross at The Writer’s Reverie!Note: Some of the wonderful patriotic vintage graphics above came from the The Graphics Fairy – she’s digital magic!

"I teach families how to restore their God-given authority as the primary educator in their child’s life through the experience of reading together as a family. Learn how to use literature to create teachable moments, build strong minds, and bind loving hearts."

Kathryn Ross, writer, speaker, and dramatist, ignites a love of literature and learning to equip young and old towards developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle—reading together, learning together, loving together. Her works challenge families to deepen their literacy skills and grow into the greater things God has purposed for them. She’s taught in Christian and homeschool circles, trained in the Principle Approach® through the Foundation for American Christian Education. Miss Kathy owns Pageant Wagon Publishing, producing homeschool enrichment materials, devotional works, study guides, and theatrical dramas for church, school, and community production. She podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and blogs at PageantWagonPublishing.com.

Comments

Wow, what a wonderful patriotic post. Thank you for sharing all these quotes from our founding fathers, and the great images. I think I’ll use one of these quotes in our church bulletin this week. Have a wonderful weekend. ~ Abby

Such a wonderful post, and thank you for the reminder of our original intent by the writings of our forefathers. Our government officials and congressmen and women should take a refresher course with these amazing patriots!xo Debra

Kathy~ I must say that this is one of the most touching posts I’ve ever seen. To read such wise and heartfelt sentiments makes my heart swell with admiration for the men who, experiencing tyrrany and barriers, sought to found a nation on freedom and love of God. Thank you for this beautiful post as we celebrate the birth of our country, and for including your sources. God was in the shaping of America, and it is a shame the main stream media would have us think otherwise! God Bless the U.S.A!

Greetings, Kathy…this is the most profoundly moving post on this fourth of July. The pictures, the quotes, the reminders of how this great nation was founded and on what cornerstone it was established. It makes me feel that we, as Christians, need to fight to uphold the freedoms and values our ancestors fought so hard for and not allow them to fall to the wayside. How sad that our leaders have fallen asleep…we need to wake them up! As for your writing…you don’t need to fancy yourself a writer, dear one…you are one and were born with that gift. I thank God that you are using it to His glory and doing it so well! “Well done, good and faithful servant!!”

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I'm Kathryn Ross, an Enrichment Artist with a passion to bless and inspire others to a life more abundant and purposeful in all good things and beauty. I share such treasures through the power of dramatized storytelling, blogging at The Writer's Reverie, publishing my works through Pageant Wagon Publishing, hosting teatime hospitality retreats, and exploring handcrafted creative arts through Cameo Impressions at Etsy. My love of God and Biblical values also permeates the original literature and history programming I write and perform for varied audiences as Pageant Wagon Productions LLC. Blogging has been a way for me to explore my craft and connect with kindred spirits where a constant stream of inspiration enriches me - so I can be an enrichment in the lives of others!

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A good story
Is a creative compass
Pointing my imagination
In glorious directions.
I set sail on a raft
Of rhymes and reasons
That plumb the depths
Of man's heart,
And rise up on waves
Of virtue triumphant,
Where I can see a fixed mark
On the horizon.
It is there that I know
To set my rudder and my sails,
Sure to the breeze,
In the hope of docking safely
On the shoreline
Of a firm foundation
For life and living.